There's been a lot of Talk about the 'Moyes Out' Banner ...

but let's just say that the fly past has backfired as Moyes ended up getting support from fans inside Old Trafford. It MAY be that many fans have misgivings about Moyes, but they're not demonstrating their frustration yet for whatever reason - loyalty to SAF, Man Utd's 'tradition' of giving their managers time, not wishing to lose the moral high ground to the likes of Chelsea where changing managers is as common as Elizabeth Taylor changing husbands, whatever.

As for me, I remain convinced that David Moyes is out of his depth. I only hope that the Glazers will not give him too much time to wreak havoc on the playing squad. I mean, the guy's a good manager for a mid-table team, but he's not Manchester United quality. There have been lots of articles and insights about what's gone wrong for Moyes at United. I won't regurgitate them - some have been reasonable, some have been idealistic, some have not recognized Moyes' good qualities, lots of them have been about his tactics (whether stone age, rigid, muddled, or blitzkrieg air bombardment).

It's this observation from Tim Howard, who kept goal under Moyes and SAF that I found interesting. He wasn't talking about Man United. He was talking about Everton under Roberto Martinez.

There's been talk that the United players are short on confidence. A bit more than talk, actually - Evans has admitted it explicitly. Except for the occasional Barcelona game, SAF has always tried to impose United's style on their opponents. There may be a little tactical tweak here and there but attack was the overarching theme. Under Moyes, it would appear that not losing is the raison d'etre, defence is the default team setting. You can't win the league by avoiding defeat ...

Howard's quote is revealing and suggests that Moyes' is setting this United team to avoid defeat rather than going for the win. Moyes has made a few quotes that suggest as much (Freudian slip, perhaps ?). And in talking up the opponent's strengths, he is forgetting that his own team is chockful of good players as well. Not that his squad would believe it after the way he's trampled them with 'they're aging and don't have enough quality' quotes spread out over several press conferences. Does he imagine that his players wouldn't notice his comments ?

SAF was well known as a great motivator. From where I'm standing, it sure looks like David Moyes is a great demotivator. And I can't see how this works out well for Man United. The 'Wrong One - Moyes Out" banner may well have been ill conceived, but there are many who agree with the sentiment. Count me among them.

At least he's Consistent .... is, David Moyes

This infographic says it all. David Moyes is a mid-table manager - a good mid-table manager, but a mid-table manager nonetheless. I remember telling a friend a few months ago, give him Stoke's resources and he'll put them in Everton's position; give him Man United's resources, and he'll still put them in Everton's position ! After 29 league games, this has proved startlingly true. 

Let's not even talk about the cup exits, stone age tactics, defeatist press conferences, confused purchases, surprise team selections and puzzling substitutions. From where I'm sitting, it's patently obvious that the playing squad don't have the heart for the fight - at least not for David Moyes. And this is with me having reduced expectations for the season. I would have accepted 4th place even without a trophy to show, but what's really galling is that the performances have been so poor, so often. You'd be hard pressed to believe that this self same squad cantered to the League last season.

It'd take too long to go through the list of things that have gone wrong this season, but it's clear to me that it started with the appointment of Moyes as manager. So here's an appeal to the Glazers and Sir Alex,

Come the end of this season, please put Moyes out of his misery. You'll have to pay him another five years wages, but believe me, he'll cost you a lot more otherwise.

Pray for MH370

A little slice of Life ...

6-ish on a Saturday morning, a time when I'm usually still deep in sleep. But not today.

It's a strangely peaceful time. All three kids are asleep. Oh .... THAT'S why it's peaceful.

Anyway, I digress. It's a strangely peaceful time. Nothing astir here, not even a mosquito ...... A selection of country songs on the stereo - Anne Murray's "A Little Good News" playing at the moment - a load of laundry in the washing machine. It's strange nowadays to find some time alone without one kid or another wandering around, out of the bedroom, or wailing her lungs out ...

It's good. All is right with the world. Except for the haze in my lungs, and the water shortage in the Klang Valley, and the shenanigans in the government and judiciary and civil service and various government ministries. Even if all I'm doing is folding clothes and clearing up the mess the kids left behind.

All is good. It's the music that does it. That, and the rare slice of solitude.